Getting Old

Hope and GB both had a good day yesterday. They helped the Dad put their laundry away, ate a mountain of homemade waffles, and went with the Dad to have ice cream with his mother. Hope lost it towards the end of the day, but it was late enough to put her to bed. They both got up with smiles and went through their morning  routine with ease.

When they got off the bus, the Green Eyed Monster was back. GB had gotten another gift at school today. Hope articulated why she was mad very well, but got stuck there. She refused to do her school work correctly and insisted the pre-packaged ice cream bar GB got was bigger then the pre-packaged ice cream bar I gave her.  I gave her a time in, but all I have to show for it is some new bruising. It is looking like a long afternoon.

GB's real birthday is over a week away. The Green Eyed Monster is getting old. I am grateful for my long weekend get-a-way- no matter  how much payback will be waiting for me when I get back.

The Green Eyed Monster

`GB had a crafty birthday party yesterday (because I will be in Orlando next week!!!!!). It was combination of NT and special needs kids. She loves crafty stuff and with a couple of  stress-relief breaks, she did well. So, this post is not about GB. My Green Eyed Monster is 43 pounds of pure adrenalin. Hope woke up yesterday, raring to make her mark. Chairs were flying before 8 am. Hope was very clear- she did not want GB to have friends, a birthday, a party, gifts or a good time. It.was.not.fair. We looked at pictures from her party and I had her tell me about each picture. She remembered how much fun she had, what presents she got, and who was there. I asked her if GB had done anything to make her  birthday  less fun. Hope looked puzzled and said no. I told Hope that GB had let her have a great birthday and I expected her to let GB have a great birthday. The arms folded, the death-ray stare crossed her face, and she shook her head no. Hope had real rages yesterday- the kind we haven't seen in over a month. Adrenalin fueled, fear and anger driven- I am so glad she is still so small. She was still fighting herself when she went to bed.

She woke up this morning and the Green Eyed Monster was gone. Until the next time.

Payback

The Dad is home and guess who is getting ALL the payback for him being gone? That's right, I am. Me. The Mom. And Hope sure has a lot of payback stored up. She was back to throwing chairs this morning. Not to be left out, GB is fixated on her upcoming birthday. A steamroller with curly hair and 9 candles. The Dad is back in super stress mode and if I hear on more muttered under the breathe  criticism of how I handled the, girls or what shape the house is in,  or one more snide remark about setting off the chair thrower, I may be single again. Can single women go to Orlando?


To top it, off today  is yet another SNOW DAY!

Wednesday Morning.

The house is still. The cats got up with me,but everyone else is sleeping. I am physically tired and emotionally spent. Today is one of those days where the keyboard is not my friend.

One Minute...

I have been holding it together, one minute at a time, for 464 minutes. I have given up on actually doing anything today. Hope is in my bed, quiet for the moment. GB is sitting on a floor pillow next to me. They are watching PBS. Snow today, school tomorrow. Has.to.be. It is today's lifeline.

Yesterdays gone, yesterdays gone.

The Dad left before 5 am this morning. He and his (older) brother are on a road trip to see their cousin and their terminally ill aunt. I don't begrudge The Dad that time. I am counting the seconds until  I am not the only line tethering my family to this world.  Not that they are well grounded when the Dad his here- But at least, in the back of my mind, relief is minutes, hours, a day away. He won't be back until Thursday. More than a day, is more I can put my mind around.

Hope went out with us to three different public places yesterday. Each time The Dad wasn't with us, gabbing with a friend or what ever, Hope threw a tantrum. Not a rage, not a meltdown. A tantrum. No adrenaline, no cortisone. A totally for show tantrum, for the sole purpose of  embarrassing  me. I didn't let her embarrass me, but by the time we got home, I was bone weary.

We stayed home all day today. They are off tomorrow. I think we will stay home tomorrow, too. I told Hope that I can not stop her from doing her wango tango. What I can do is remove the temptation of having an audience to play for. She will not go out in public with me until I am convinced she will chose to behave.

GB has a cold, I have bronchitis. A couple of days in my warm house with my fireplace  is just what I need. The girls are asleep and in five minutes or so, I will join them. One day at a time.

D's Gone

New post on other blog.